A care worker has been jailed for swindling more than £20,000 of benefits out of Croydon Council.

Katheleena Payet, of New Addington, had managed to keep her activities hidden from the authorities for four years.

The fraud came to light as a result of a data match exercise, a National Fraud Initiative, conducted by the Audit Commission.

The 52-year-old, who had been employed by the NHS since 2002, had fraudulently claimed £12,654.70 of housing benefit, £3,066.73 of council tax benefit and £5,679.77 of job seeker's allowance between 2003 and 2007, totaling £21,401.20.

When interviewed by investigation officers from the council and the Department for Works and Pensions, Mrs Payet repeatedly denied having worked for the NHS.

At Croydon Crown Court she was jailed for eight months on 10 counts of benefit fraud, having pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at magistrates’ court.

Sentencing, Recorder Heathcote-Williams said this was a serious offence that had been fraudulent from the onset.

Councillor Gavin Barwell, cabinet member for resources and customer services, said: "Once again this successful prosecution proves that benefit fraud does not pay. People may think that they will get away with it but there is no escape."